Atomic Heart Success Turns Game's Developer into Publisher

I liked atomic heart very interesting not perfect but worth a playthrough

the infinitely spawning enemies in the open world were annoying so you couldn't really spend time out there you just had to pass through.

I hope they do well. I didn't play much of Atomic Heart, but it had an interesting premise.

Aren't they nationalistic Russians with ties to Russian state money?

Still haven't played it, but it always seemed interesting to me. A alt-history dystopian Russian setting seems really sick. If it ever shows up as a PS Plus Essential game, I'll try it out for sure.

I never played Atomic Hearts, was it any good? Not sure if I'll ever get around to it with the size of my back log.

This is really awesome. I’d love to see more small developers eclipsing triple a sales enough to stand on their own two feet. The game was definitely an odd one but I loved it, and I’m glad it did well.

Gotta love these indie studio… Make one big game, game sells well, makes publishing arm.

@ChrisDeku I think the founders are Russian, but don't have gov't affiliation.

@ChrisDeku no that is untrue

they are Russians and the key point here is not all Russians are bad people

@trev666 Well said.

@trev666 it seems they openly declared they got funding from GEM Capital which has ties to Gazprom which is state majority owned. So giving them money directly profits the Russian state it would appear.

What evidence do you have to the contrary?

@trev666 Very true, never judge a people by it's leaders.

GEM Capital, a Cyprus-based investment fund founded by a former executive for Gazprom. giant leap to say nationalistic Russians with ties to Russian state money

but no one bats an eyelid at that TenCent continue to actively buy up half the gaming industry

@ChrisDeku source your info because all you have as "proof" are your words with no actual proof to their validity.

As such they carry no more weight than any other comment including the one you are trying to dunk on.

@JuiceboxMeister no

Game had some great ideas, looking foreward to what they cook up next.

@ChrisDeku I don't think buying Atomic Heart benefits Putin any more than buying The Last of Us benefits Trump or buying Black Myth benefits Xi.

There was an effort to tie Mundfish to the Russian side of the war because they didn't publicly condemn the invasion, though I personally find that understandable for Russians to do. Even if they don't live in Russia, they undoubtedly have family that does and you don't want to get on Putin's bad side. The first victims of Putin's regime were Russians.

If the proximity gives you a moral quandary in buying Mundfish's titles, I would find that perfectly understandable, though.

Good game. Fun until you meet enemies with 1000% speed.

@RiverGenie It’s literally public information and has been reported on by dozens of sites. Let me google that for you though.

Investors in Mundfish, the developer of Atomic Heart, have been linked to GEM Capital, an investment fund that has direct ties to majority Russian state-controlled businesses Gazprom and VTB Bank, as outlined in their Series B round of funding press release. Mundfish has also opted to partner with a Russian company VK to avoid sanctions on Steam, which is also a majority Russian state-controlled business via Gazprombank

Source: https://www.gamepur.com/guides/do-atomic-hearts-developers-have-ties-to-russian-government-answered

It even made NBC News: https://www.nbcnews.com/tech/tech-news/atomic-heart-video-game-draws-scrutiny-ukrainians-russia-ties-rcna72714

@wildcat_kickz Reading about the situation I’d say it’s very possible they just wanted to get funded through whatever sources were available and weren’t going to be scrutinizing things too hard, or even care about ties to the state at that time. As things changed they were very likely in an awkward situation where they can’t do much or openly say anything that would be perceived as anti-war.

However, the money does indirectly fund the state, even if one’s own contribution is completely irrelevant it’s still a pretty awkward situation to consider.

@ChrisDeku I totally understand that, so I wouldn't cast stones on anyone who has a moral issue with buying products with ties - indirect or otherwise - to nefarious entities. In a global market, it's impossible to completely separate your money from bad actors, but it's up to each of us to draw those lines for ourselves.

Mostly sad about hearing the constant mob adds. Reason in waiting for a possible psplus at some point

I played this on Game Pass and really enjoyed it. It's on my wishlist while I wait for a discount.

Good to see AA studios finding success. They have been carrying this generation why AAA gaming is releasing slop after slop

@ChrisDeku yes I am aware of the allegations and have seen similar articles elsewhere.

The point I was trying to make to you is that asking for evidence from others to refute your claims while initially not providing any evidence yourself or sources to your claims was a bit hypocritical and undermines any point you might have.

Thank you for rectifying this omission.

Good on them, but a publisher this soon, hmm I don't know. If they can handle it sure if not we will know what went wrong.

It was a fine game, not the most exciting AA (most aren't in this era at all to me, most are generic). But business wise good on them.

If they really aren’t funded by the Russian state then let’s see them publish a game that directly calls Putin a war criminal, or give Frogwares money. Mind you, I doubt we’d see any game funded in the US that criticises a certain other nation so uh, hooray for indirect censorship?

I bought it, but damn it was boring, couldn't bring myself to finish it.

Sorry mate, the "x" for "kiss" is right next to my "z" an unfortunate accident xD
@GirlVersusGame

Great to hear! X

@nessisonett Couldn't it also be plausible that they don't take direct government funding, but still fear retaliation from the government for any anti-war/anti-Putin sentiment they'd say? As I mentioned in a previous comment, even if the team doesn't operate in Russia anymore, it's very likely that they all still have family in Russia and can't risk saying anything that would put their loved ones in danger.

I exploded into it then just stopped.

I very happy for them. 10 million players is a big step for Mundfish and they fully deserved it. Atomic Heart was one of the best games in 2023 for me.

@Jrs1

You are wrong, a politician is a reflection of his society, especially when there is a democracy.

As Einstein said: "the world is a dangerous place, not because of those who do evil, but because of those who look on and do nothing".

@Fritz167 When was the last time you saw a politician in touch with his electorate ?. As you get older you start to realise they all promise the earth until elected, then the head is in the trough lapping it all up with the rest of them. It certainly is "We are the pigs" Orwellian territory.

PS - Soundbites and quotes never changed the world 😉

@Jrs1

When people go to vote, it's for a reason, and I'm probably older than you, I've been playing video games since the days of Dragon 32.

The world can't be changed while there are people like the ones we have now. All you can hope for is to save yourself. But I will never buy a game from a country that attacks another, or at least I would buy it second-hand.

@Fritz167 it's included US and UK games then, right?

@AnVold, that message could only come from a Russian, name a single country invaded by UK.

By the way, many people in your country are also dying from something that someone from your country started.

@Fritz167 How long have you got lol, we owned hakf the world at one pount, never heard of the British Empire? Or watched Michael Caine in Zulu (great film btw)

@Fritz167 nope, but US still occupied a part of Syria. Did you know that? Yougalavia and Iraq was attacked by US and UK.
And what's bad if it's come from a Russian? Do you have a problem with my nationality or something? I feel some Franсo vibes.
My country did nothing wrong. Our security is absolute priority for country. And we'll end it as soon as we can.

@Fritz167 In 53 and my first computer was a ZX81 (with 16k ram pack i might add) You're nit a General Franco supporter by any chance ??

Edit - haha someone beat me to the Franco comment, right im bowing out of this now, its Sunday and its politics on a video game site, not good.

It is ridiculous to justify present-day barbarities based on things that happened in the past.

Even Franco didn't attack other countries, but there were people here who died because of him, and that was before I was born.

By the way, we can go back to the Middle Ages where everyone attacked everyone else. People are supposed to have become more civilized over time, but I see that not everyone has, which is why there will continue to be wars in the future.

@Fritz167 that's not happend in the past. As I said, US still occupied a part of Syria with oil fields. If you want to see a trully present-day barbarities then just look on Gaza. What's weapon Israel army used?
If your governments continue to support by the weapons a terrorist states that treaten us - sure, we'll protect ourselves. Is it amazed you?

Is Franco was good just because of it? Is his legacy still alive? If Hitler wouldn't attack any country ever, then he might be a good man too?

You have a very naive point of view. We was the same in 90's. But a two Chechen Wars of 1994 and 1999 that was sponored by the West, and Geogian attack on our peacemakers in 2008 showed to us, that they'll never let us live peacefully.

I don't buy games from Israel too, wait, there aren't any.

I tell you that Franco killed people from my country, and you tell me that he was good for not attacking other countries. You make it clear to me that reasoning with you is like reasoning with a wall.

By the way, since you mention Gaza, it would also be good for you to learn about wars in other countries around the world that journalists don't cover. For example, there are quite a few in Africa like Congo with almost 7 million displaced, and no one cares about them.

And there are people from your country dying in the war, and everyone knows who started it.

And if you want to know, I never buy expensive products from certain countries. My car is french, my TV and cell phone are from South Korea, my laptop is from Taiwan, I have a PS5 and not a XBox... even i don't have Netflix, I prefer Filmin (spanish TV platform).

@Fritz167 yes, but Israel uses US weapons mostly.

Oh, I misunderstood you here. But still I can't understand your point about not attacking other countries, if Franco was bad anyway.

I know about other wars, especially in Africa. I also know that Ukraine have a good ties with some islamist groups in Africa, who fight with official govenments.

I know that there are people from my country who dying in the war. We are not still immortal, sadly. But this is a price that we're ready to pay for our own safety, like we did it in Chechnya before. It doesnt't matter much who started the war. Why it started and who'll end it? - this is really important.

I don't care much if product cheap or not if I need it. Or if it"s from other country. But I prefer a balance of price and quality. My car is Chinese, TV from South Korea, my smartphone is iPhone (because I like to travel and make photos and videos), I have a PS5 and Switch (I also have a Xbox, but it's Xbox 360). It's nice to support your own local product, I usually do the same. But I don't use any subscripton ever (iCloud is exception, but it's just around 0,75 american cents per month here) and just buy a game that want to play, because I want to support developers and see it's sequel. Then you boycott a good game, you didn't damage any government's economy. They'll didn't feel it ever. But you are causing damage to the developer and to the videogame industry in total.

You mean you're safer now than you were when the war started? That you're safer in times of war than you were in peacetime, like before? I just hope you're not the next one to go to it.

@Fritz167 It's peaceful in South America except for Drug cartels in Colombia. And there hasn't been any wars since Falkland War.

@DipperMisterioPines

Tell that to those who have lived for a long time in FARC territory, there are people who have only known war.

Not only do wars bring victims, thousands died or disappeared thanks to Pinochet.

And I can see from your information that you were one of the many who escaped Maduro. They're not at war there, but there are many people there who should be living in better conditions.